-Miraculous Ladybug and Chat Noir-

Ladybug was freefalling through the streets of Paris when she felt the catch of strong, familiar, arms. "Hey kitty." She smiled, relaxing as he cradled her in his arms.

"Bugaboo." He purred back, looking down at her. Just holding his lady already had him in much better spirits. He watched as Ladybug opened her eyes to see him and watched as her cheerful, playful eyes roamed his face, and then changed to a look of concern. "What's wrong kitty?"

She somehow always knew when he was hurting, even when he tried not to show it, one of the many reasons he loved her so much. "The usual, M'lady. Father troubles."

"What's that old crow want now?" A flicker of agitation sparked behind her bluebell eyes. Since the first time she had come across Chat one night, struggling not to break down and cry, and had convinced him to talk to her about it, she had held a negative opinion towards Chat's father, to put it nicely. When she eventually knew who Chat was one of the first things she was going to do was give his father have a piece of her mind.

"He's still trying to get me to take over his company." His hold on Ladybug tightened a little as he continued running along rooftops. "He doesn't seem to understand I'm not his servant. He got a little agitated, to say the least." He averted his gaze from his lady.

"He hit you again, didn't he?"

He could tell she was trying to remain calm, but aggression rolled off her in waves. "He tried to. I didn't let him."

She raised her hand to his cheek and gently made him face her. "Good."

"I think so too, M'lady."

Taking one final leap across a particularly high building, he slowed to a stop and allowed Ladybug to stand up from his hold. She quickly stood and wrapped him in a tight hug. "I love you, Chaton."

He hugged her back, resting his head on hers. "I love you too, Bugaboo"

-Miraculous-

Adrien held his coffee like a lifeline, his fingers defrosting from the chill that the morning had brought with it. It had been a couple weeks since his outburst with his father and ever since he had been using morning visits to the coffee shop as a way to avoid him in the mornings.

It was a fairly popular place and later in the day it'd be packed, no doubt, but in the mornings this early there where only ever a couple of people littered around the store. This morning Adrien kept finding his gaze drawn to a particular couple in the corner of the room. They sat cuddled together, nibbling at the meal infront of them and talking happily. In this moment they looked problem free, stress free, as the two looked to just enjoy the others company. The man raised his hand to his partners face, cupping her face in his hand and pulling her close.

Adrien turned his head, not feeling like watching anymore. He felt oddly disgusted with himself. Just looking at them, the couple, sitting together in a public place he was jealous of the man. He got to be with someone in their entirety. He didn't need to long after a part of his partner's life that was always just out of his reach. He didn't have to worry that one day she could vanish into her other half and he'd never get to see her again. And he didn't need to be filled with self doubt as to why he never got to know her.

He despised the masks that kept him apart from Ladybug. The ones that hid her from him, and him from her. All he wanted to do was be open with her, to be able to see her without the mask, and see her in normal clothes. Not that the spandex was hard on the eyes or anything, just there was something intimate in seeing someone in cosy and normal clothes.

Adrien let out an exasperated sigh, before putting down his coffee and walking out of the store.

-Miraculous-

The chill night bit at their faces, faces flushed pink, running in the cold

"You can't run, m'lady! We need to talk about this!"

She didn't turn back to him, didn't stop in her flight from him. What else could she do? Just moments ago he'd come to her, looking like he had heavier weight on his shoulders than usual, asking to talk to her about something. Of course she'd been right up at attention at that and asked him to sit down with her. Then he started talking. He talked about a couple he'd seen in the morning and how he'd felt jealous. Jealous that they could see each other and be with each other completely, unlike them which felt like only half. He'd told her that he couldn't take it any more, not knowing who his girlfriend is. He said if he couldn't know he didn't think he could be with her in that way, that they could only really be partners and not partners. She felt her heart split in half, then quarters, then eighths, and so on as he went on. She failed to hold back her burning tears, seeing Chat's tears fall aswell. She hadn't been able to stand it. She couldn't breathe, couldn't find the words to tell him. Tell him she had no other part of her to give, that what he thought was only half of her was really all she was.

So, before he could stop her, she jumped up and ran. He'd then shot up after her and began running after her as he was now. Calling, begging, for her to stop and talk to him. She felt her checks burn from her hot tears, unable to hold on to her breaking heart. It was too much.

-Miraculous-

"I sense a strong negative emotion. Fear, despair... Heartbreak. This will make a strong akuma." Hawkmoth felt for the emotional string of the person, searching for a name. Nothing. Suprise and excitement rolled off of him in waves. The only people who's names he couldn't identify with his miraculous where other miraculous holders who where currently transformed. And the only heroes transformed this late at night with no akuma present in the streets... "Ladybug. Chat Noir. You've finally let down your guard and now you will pay!" Hawkmoth opened up his palm, allowing a white butterfly to land, before caging it with his other hand. Using his anger and frustration he drew the negative emotion into the akuma. This was a golden opportunity, and like hell was he going to pass it up. "Fly my evil akuma. And bring me victory!"

-Miraculous-

"I'm not enough... I'm not enough..." Ladybug couldn't bare to look back at her partner, see the anger and confusion in his eyes.

"M'lady." His tone was soft and loving, which confused the hell out of her. She looked up at him, into his eyes, and they where shimmered with tears. He should hate her, despise her for lying to him for so long. She looked back down to the ground, unable to look at him.

"You've always been-"

He was cut off by the light flutter of wings but he was too late to react. Too late to stop it as the black butterfly planted itself inside of Ladybug's earings.

-Miraculous-

I'm free.

-End Chapter 20-